What is a skills assessment
A skills assessment is a survey or interview measuring skill and knowledge. We recommend a 1-5 Likert scale where 1 is emerging, and 5 is mastery. Skill assessment reports help leaders visualize who knows what and identifies gaps where training may be needed to maximize the growth and potential of the individual.
Why skill assessments matter
Skill Assessments are an ideal way to collect data to inform and guide training investments. Addressing skill gaps helps the organization but also energizes the staff who can better meet the demands of their work. Benefits include a more capable, energized and productive staff. Skill gaps found in many people may be hurting your organizational morale and performance.
How to do a skill assessment
There is a simple four-step process to running a successful skills assessment:
- Inventory the skills to be measured – These can vary by role, and they’re in your job descriptions. Ideally, you’d interview a few top performers to confirm that your list matches what they do for you.
- Communicate your positive intentions – State your purpose to help staff build plans to close skill gaps. Encourage honest responses. Gain trust by assuring them that results are confidential and will be used to help them.
- Collect the data – One on ones, spreadsheets, and survey tools can be used to collect the data from your team members. Make sure someone is available to answer questions that may arise.
- Analyze the data – There is a great value to be leveraged from one-on-one coaching discussions based on the data. Looking at trends in departments and locations can help prioritize training investments, staff augmentation, and hiring plans.
If you’d like to learn more about skills assessments, please get our free ebook and reach out to our team. Our technology was purpose-built to automate the skill assessment process and includes valuable reports to analyze the data. We can also automate a learning path uniquely designed for each person based on the gaps found in their assessment.
According to many sources, the millennial generation are highly motivated by recognition.
We don’t think it’s just the millennial generation that’s inspired to be known for skills or knowledge. Shining light on positive attributes is good for everyone. High potentials thrive on the widespread acknowledgement of their achievements. We believe that positive recognition triggers important domino effects that ripple through the organization. People aspire to gain recognition of those same competencies or other skills or knowledge they feel benefit the firm. These elements guide each persons journey on individual performance.
There is another far reaching important benefit of digital badges and recognition. Badges clearly reinforce organizational goals and objectives by highlighting the individual achievements that matter most to your organization.
How can you leverage badges and recognition in your firm?
A recent Forbes article by Erika Andersen explains that the top reasons people leave all boil down to one reason: Top talent leave an organization when they’re badly managed and the organization is confusing and uninspiring.
A popular article published last year explains the top 10 reasons people leave their big-company jobs. Poor people management is half the problem: Not being part of an exciting project, a bad performance review, problems with their boss, unclear career path, and lack of recognition. Organizational failings are the other half of the problem: poor leadership, gridlock, unclear vision, uninspired coworkers, and shifting priorities.
Andersen says there are two keys to retaining top talent: first, make management a priority and promote those who manage well. Second, have clear priorities and an inspired vision that sets your company apart.
To really bring out the best in your people, everyone should understand how their personal role connects with the goals of the organization. Each person needs to see what is expected of them and have a personal development plan to get there. Individual goals should be tied to departmental goals which connect to the companies high-level aspirations.
Most importantly, these plans need to be transparent where leaders and employees informally and frequently talk about goals, priorities and progress. The best companies recognize accomplishments and shine light on top performers.
How can your business do better at retaining your talented employees?
